Bears starting safeties Jaquan Brisker and Kevin Byard are going into the final year of their respective contracts this upcoming season.
General manager Ryan Poles drafted Brisker with the 48th overall pick in the second round out of Penn State in 2022. In the last three seasons, Brisker has played in 35 games – 15 in each of his first two seasons and then only five in 2024. A concussion against the Panthers in Week 5 landed Brisker on IR and forced him to miss the rest of the season. Since entering the NFL, Brisker has been diagnosed with three concussions.
Byard had a productive first season with Chicago in 2024. The veteran safety played in all 17 games and finished with 130 total tackles (team high), seven passes defensed, two sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble. Byard – who will be 32 in August – signed a two-year contract last offseason.
With uncertainty surrounding Brisker’s health and Byard's age, the Bears could potentially look to draft their safeties of the future. If the Bears choose to draft their next free safety to replace Byard, Texas’ Andrew Mukuba would be a great addition for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Why Mukuba
Before Mukuba transferred to Texas, he played primarily in the slot at Clemson for three seasons. However, Mukuba not only looked like a natural safety last season, he played the part. In 15 games, he made 69 total tackles, six passes defensed, intercepted five passes, forced a fumble, and didn’t allow a single touchdown.
Mukuba’s instincts in coverage consistently showed up on film last year at Texas. He had a knack for breaking up passes on in-breaking routes towards the middle of the field.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Mukuba ended his 2024 season with a 26.1% incompletion rate and forced 33 incompletions – the second most among safeties last season with at least 253 coverage snaps.
Mukuba accomplished all that in his first season as a safety. According to a report, Mukuba was scheduled to meet with the Bears on Monday evening.
Mukuba also plays the game with physicality. When he has an opportunity to deliver a big hit, Mukuba won’t pass that chance up. However, he does tend to miss tackles. According to PFF, he missed 13 tackles last season and then nine and seven in the previous two years at Clemson. He finished 2024 with a 14.4% missed tackle rate. At 5-foot-11, 186 pounds, Mukuba does have a smaller frame and that showed up when trying to bring ball carriers down at times.
Dennis Allen’s Impact
Like every draft prospect, Mukuba has areas of his game that he must improve and luckily, he has a coach in Allen who has worked with cornerbacks in the past that have also transitioned to safety.
Towards the end of Charles Woodson’s career, he switched to safety for the final four years of his career after playing cornerback for 14 seasons. Allen was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders when Woodson played safety for two seasons.
Tyrann Mathieu is another example. In his first five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Mathieu played primarily in the slot and the box than he did at free safety. Later in his career, especially in the last three seasons in New Orleans when Allen was the head coach, Mathieu played his most snaps at the free safety position – 681 last season (a career-high).
Allen has worked with these hybrid types of defensive backs in the past, and maybe he can be the one to maximize Mukuba’s strengths while at the same time cleaning up his flaws.
Even head coach Ben Johnson has seen up close the impact a versatile defensive back can have on a football team. Brian Branch played mostly in the slot while he was at Alabama. Since the Lions drafted him in the second round in 2023, he has played all over in the Lions’ defense. Those multiple-position players have a place in the NFL and can pay dividends if used correctly.
The Bears have addressed many needs this offseason, but the safety position could use a new playmaker. If the Bears can draft Mukuba on Day 2 of the draft, Poles should make him a member of Chicago’s 2025 draft class.
